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By Ricky T. Gallardo
Although it rained on its annual flower festival
parade, the residents of Baguio came out in full force to join the
thousands of visitors who trooped to the highlands to be part of
this colorful Penagbenga event.
Street-dancers dressed in their most colorful
costumes performed the routines they have been rehearsing for
months. Floats bedecked with the freshest flowers from Trinidad and
the outlying towns of the Mountain Province rolled through the main
streets of Baguio City, including the popular Session Road.
Celebrities like Richard Gutierrez, Alfred
Vargas, Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Jodi Santamaria and Angelica
Panganiban took time out from their busy schedules to grace the
occasion, taking advantage of the opportunity to promote their
respective television programs. Actress, model and TV host Angel
Aquino proudly joined the University of the Philippines delegation.
Aquino graduated from UP Baguio before she joined the entertainment
world.
For one weekend, it was Mardi Gras Baguio
style—traffic was as bad as Holy Week, and the prices of peanut
brittle, ponchos, strawberry, vegetables, cardigan, ube jam and
walis tambo were non-negotiable.
New vision for Baguio
This year’s Penagbenga Festival signaled the
unofficial start for the preparations of the Pine City for their
huge centennial celebration scheduled September 2009. “For its
100th year, Baguio City will be reborn, and everyone from the city
government to the hotel and service industries, from the
entrepreneurs to the cultural organizations are looking forward to
making Baguio City the preferred place to be in 2008,” enthuses
Peter Rey Bautista, the city mayor.
Young and idealistic at 38, Bautista’s vision
for Baguio is crystal clear. “It will be progressive like it never
was before. I’ll be restoring Burnham Park, the Convention Center
will be ready for the region’s most important conferences and
conventions, Mines View Park will take on a new look wherein both
tourists and businessmen will be happy, The Philippine Interactive
Museum will rise in Dominican Hill, the public market will
experience a rebirth,” Bautista enumerates the changes he’d like
to see.
He adds that his teams are already looking into
the implementation of new traffic management schemes, experts are
now looking into ways to control pollution and to maintain
environmental and ecological balance, and a waste management program
is now on its initial phase of implementation.
“No one can do it alone. The success of any
plan and concept depends highly on the commitment of everyone
involved, from the government agencies to the business sectors, from
the organizations to the residents. The 100th-year celebration will
put to test how solid we are in wanting to make Baguio City the
preferred vacation, resident and business city in the North,” the
mayor adds.
Heiner Maulbecker, the general manager of the
Manor at Camp John Hay and a resident of Baguio City for the last
three decades, agrees with Bautista. “Everyone should do their
share. The hotel and resort industry should be ready when the
tourists from all over the world decide to come here and experience
the nippy air, the warmth of the people, and the many wonderful
surprises this part of the Mountain.”
He specifically points out to the Banaue Rice
Terraces in Benguet. “It’s still one of the most amazing wonders
of the world. I think it is so underrated, and hopefully, Baguio
will be a jump-off point for the rest of the world to see the beauty
of the Northern Philippines.”
World-class services; five-star
accommodations
As Baguio gets ready for the world, it should be
open to the influx of world-class accommodations that will house the
tourists. All the developments within Camp John Hay—completed or
still undergoing—are geared towards retaining the lushness of the
surrounding pine groves. The former American military reservation
camp is still a favorite sanctuary of vacationers. The Manor at Camp
John Hay perfectly epitomizes Camp John Hay’s blend of tradition
and progress.
Nestled within 246 hectares of Baguio’s most
beautiful tract of prime land, the four-story structure was designed
to blend seamlessly with towering pine trees while the majestic
Cordillera mountain range provides a magnificent view. The hotel is
distinguished not just by its impressive architecture but by its
cozy interior as well. With 180 rooms including 54 well-appointed
suites, it is the best place to stay when one is in Baguio City.
The famous Chef Billy King has chosen to call
the shots at the main kitchen of The Manor. “I couldn’t ask for
more—the ingredients here are fresh—vegetables, fruits,
everything is so easy to get. Baguio is a dream place for chefs like
me,” King muses.
Of course, it is also a haven for golfers what
with its 18-hole, par 69 golf course designed by the Golden Bear
International of Jack Nicklaus.
As the people of Baguio look forward to their
100th-year celebration, the work to make it a five-star vacation
destination continues everyday. Come 2009, Baguio will bloom like it
never did, just like the many colorful flowers that adorn this
beautiful city.
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